Driving the lovely Glendora Mountain Road in Southern California
Glendora Mountain Road is a very scenic mountain drive located on the boundary of San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties, in the US state of California. It is a very technical riding road, especially for motorcycles. A road ride with views and hills that will take your breath away.
How many miles is Glendora Mountain Road?
Located just an hour away from downtown Los Angeles, the road is totally paved. It’s 34.76km (21.6 miles) long, extending north from the city of Glendora (in the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County) to Mount Baldy (in San Bernardino County). The road is commonly known as GMR by locals.
How hard is Glendora Mountain Road?
Tucked away in the Angeles National Forest, the road is pretty steep, hitting a 10% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. The weekends are usually packed with a lot of motorcycles and cyclist. That's when most of the accidents occur. Try to go during the week to avoid all the weekend traffic. At times there can be some bad drivers who think this road is a track. Best time to go on GMR is on the weekdays in the morning when no one is out there. The tarmac is generally of high quality without many potholes, as it lies at a low enough elevation to avoid major snowfall and ice for all but a handful of days a year. The road is smooth and in great condition. Some of the blind turns will keep you at the edge of your seat. Be careful not to ride the lane divider line because a bike or a car could be doing the same thing coming in the opposite direction.
How long does it take to drive Glendora Mountain Road?
It’s said to be one of the most scenic climbs in southern California with jaw-dropping mountain panoramas at every turn. Plan 1 hour to complete the drive without stops. It’s a great road for a scenic car drive or even better yet a motorcycle ride, with lots of turnout to stop and admire the views.
Is Glendora Mountain Road open today?
Set high into the San Gabriel Mountains the road tops out at 1.383m (4,537ft) above the sea level. At this elevation, it can be used year round.